Gordon Greenidge talks about batting, opening the batting, playing in the West Indies, and limping between the wickets
What were Barbados wickets like when you played?
Quick, with more bounce than, say, in the UK, where I played a lot with Hampshire. There would be a light tinge of green on the pitch, rolled in to bind it.
In Australia, pitches were even bouncier.
Guyana and Trinidad weren't bouncy pitches. Antigua was. Barbados was the quickest of the West Indies pitches when I played. The ball steepled more, which mean a lot of back-foot play.
Your second Test tour was the 1975-76 Test series against Australia, when West Indies lost 5-1? What did you learn from it?
It was a real eye-opener. The way the Australians played the game - verbals, bouncers, batsmen standing their ground until the umpire gave them out, which he often didn't, sometimes even when it was pretty obvious that they were out… It was the sort of tour where either you crack and give up the game or you put your head down and say, no, this will not beat me.
What was the toughest thing about playing against Australia back then?
The Australians were seasoned professionals, hardcore players who didn't give an inch, whereas a lot of us [West Indians] were on our first or second tours. We'd been in India the year before, playing on slow, low pitches. We had to grow up pretty quickly. The feeling was that this lashing we got would never happen to this group of players again.
read the full interview at ESPNcricinfo
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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
Excellent!!!
Last week I mentioned, in another thread, one thing I dislike in this current team is the "skin teeth" and nonchalance when a player gets out or we lose.
Gordon talks about the displeasure of that issue too. I learn lots from him as a junior player. He had this certain attitude and mental focus.
He is my favourite WI batsman and mentor.
In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com This is why, I pay little attention to these articles. He makes no mention of Sabina Park as a quick, bouncy wicket. He made 2 hundreds at Sabina that signaled to me the that he could bat pace.The first against Pakistan in 1977.Noteworthy in this test, was Pakistani frontline batsmen backing away from Roberts,Croft and Garner.
Secondly another hundred against Australia.Where the Australian commentators were saying among other things..."that for first time on the tour the Australians were playing on a wicket reminiscent of those they were used to playing on in Australia-Fast and bouncy'.Whilst he was making that hundred one of his partners was noticeably backing away from the Australian pace bowlers.
Regarding Gavaskar, he makes mention that Gavaskar started at leg....But Gavaskar did move over in the bowlers run up.This worked perfectly a Queens Park.I remember Gavaskar trying that at Sabina in the 1980s, 1st ball of the 2nd innings and lost his leg stump to Holding.
In reply to alfa1975... I was there!
Watch someone who does it well. You can only get so far listening to someone tell you how to play this or that shot. Much better to watch someone playing it. The cut, for instance, was one of my trademark shots, but there are lots of batsmen who play it well, so watch a video clip of one of them. If you're a coach, demonstrate, don't just talk. It's much easier if players see what to do for themselves.
Simple and masterful
That pic with Dessy........classic
In reply to Prako
Who are you, Mr Junior
In reply to Discourse
Dessie looks 'kool' as ice
In reply to natty_forever For which test,....both ?
In reply to Discourse
Sack Cameron
Sue WICB
Send back for Phil
SeeK Administrative assistance from CATICOM
In reply to casiba
If i could, you would be 'President'...forthwith!! 
In reply to tc1
Just a servant of WI cricket. WI cricket was always pride for me
In reply to Prako
kool, I expect some insightful postings from you about the game.
